Age truly waters down to being just a number for the inspirational, 70-year-old Mehernosh Bamji, who has been making waves literally, having participated and won accolades in the recently held state and national swimming championships. Notching an amazing bounty of three gold medals at the ‘Maharashtra State Masters Aquatic Championship’, held at Nasik on 19^th and 20^th October, in the 50m Breast Stroke; 100m Breast Stroke; and 50m Back Stroke categories, Mehernosh went on to add taller feathers in his proud cap of achievements winning two silver medals in the 50m Breast Stroke and 100m Breast Stroke categories, at the ‘National Masters Swimming Championship 2024’, organized by the Swimming Federation of India, in Bhopal, from 10^th  – 12^th November, 2024.

Born on 19^th March, 1954, Mehernosh studied at the Dadar Parsi Youths Assembly High School where he was coached in swimming, in Class V, by Freny Sethna, kindling his passion for the sport. He participated in various interschool swimming competitions and won several prizes, winning the Inter-School Junior Championship in 1969, in the under-15 Boys category.

He went on to take part in numerous swimming events including 5 kms of sea-swimming, from Sunk Rock to Gateway of India (on 2^nd January, 1983) and being adjudged the eldest participant to complete the distance within the stipulated time, as most participants were under 20 years of age while he was 29. He has won prizes at various other meets like Matunga Gymkhana, Otters Club, YMCA, Godrej (as an employee – 1972 to 2012) and more recently, at the CCI.

Speaking with Parsi Times, Mehernosh Bamji shared, “Ever since I was a child, I always admired active and fit people. Though my work, over the past 50 years, at Godrej and later at DPCG, involved extensive walking, I was unable to pursue swimming seriously, for paucity of time. I would try my best to make it for my swimming practises at least twice a weak at the MGMO. After opting to retire last year in February, I dedicatedly pursued my passion for swimming, putting in my best every single day to be able to achieve some milestones. It felt really great when my hard work culminated into winning at the state and national level. Now there’s no looking back!”

2024 marked Mehernosh’s maiden participation in the Maharashtra State Masters Aquatic Championship and the National Masters Swimming Championship, where he got to meet with some of the country’s best swimmers, including Moin Shirazi and Homi Kaka, who have represented India in the Asian Games. He is especially thankful to his friends from the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Olympic Swimming Pool (Dadar West) – 80-year-old Rajlakshmi and Jaishil Marfatia, who were instrumental in encouraging him to participate in these championships.

Sharing a few pearls of wisdom for the community that he has made so proud, Mehernosh recommends, “Mobility and exercising is a must for all, immaterial of age. And if you’ve retired, then you have even more time to make yourself fit. Those working long-hours on desk jobs end up putting on weight and becoming unhealthy, but make the time for yourself and your health – that’s a non-negotiable in life. Even just simply walking helps sustain health. I would like to urge our seniors, especially those who are single, to integrate some kind of exercise in your lives as movement keeps away all illnesses – physical and mental.”